WOMENOF COLOR
IN THEENGINEERINGWORKPLACEEARLY CAREER
ASPIRATIONS,CHALLENGES, AND
SUCCESS STRATEGIES

Roberta M. Rincon, Ph.D.
Society of Women Engineers
Nicole Yates
National Society of Black Engineers

NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS

“I think a lot of times
we cast the engineering
industry as one experience,and it’s obviously very
compex and very diverse.”“I would say I love what I do. I love practicing
engineering.... But the other things I have to deal
with make me say, ‘We [are] just going to keep
going until we can’t go anymore.”

QUOTESFROMWOMEN
ENGINEERS“Don’t get discouraged because there
are people out there who aren’t here foryour success and your growth.”“My biggest challend in theworkplace was that I didn’t feellike I could be myself and work.
I really felt like an outcast mostof tiem time working there.”“The best advice I can give would
be stand your ground, make sure
you don’t let anybody tell you waht
you’re worth.”TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................... 3
Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction....................................................................................................................................................... 5
Methodology ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
Participant Demographics .....................................................................................................................8
Results ..................................................................................................................................................................10
Challenges................................................................................................................................................10
Success Strategies .............................................................................................................................. 15
Support Systems ................................................................................................................................. 17
Additional Observations ................................................................................................................ 21
Recommendations for Professional Engineering Associations .................... 23
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................... 26
Future Research ..........................................................................................................................................28
References ....................................................................................................................................................... 29

2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Approximately one in four women leaves the engineering profession within the first five years,
a rate much higher than their male counterparts[1]. Studies of STEM professionals have foundthat women encounter numerous challenges in hiring and performance reviews due toimplicit bias[2]. These challenges are often multiplied for women of color, who are typicallyheld to stricter standards of competence than whites and are less likely to be recognized
for their skills[3].
This study, a joint venture between the National Society of Black Engineers and the Societyof Women Engineers, was developed to gain a better understanding of the experiencesof women of color in the early stages of their engineering career. Research has found thatwomen leave the workforce at higher rates than men, and given the low representation of
women of color in engineering, retention is essential to ensuring the diversity of the profession.
To understand their experiences, the researchers interviewed over 30 women to examine thefollowing questions:
1.

What challenges do women of color in engineering professions face early in their career?

2. How do they overcome those challenges?
3. What types of support, particularly from professional engineering associations, aremost impactful to these women?
The study explores the external support systems that assist women of color through the
beginning stages of their engineering careers; of particular interest is support provided byprofessional engineering associations and whether or not that support is adequate. The target
population for this study was women of color who were one to five years into their engineering
careers. We chose this population because, while only 20% of engineering graduates are
women, only one in five engineering degrees earned by women are by women of color[4].
Data were collected through one-on-one interviews of minority female engineers who
graduated with a bachelor’s degree between 2011 and 2015. The data collected were analyzed
to identify patterns and themes around the challenges that underrepresented minority female
engineers have experienced early in their careers and the strategies they have employed tocope with those challenges.

KEY FINDINGSThe researchers analyzed the data to uncover challenges, strategies, and external supports
from responses obtained from female engineers of color. The following represent some of
the major takeaways of this analysis.
Challenges expressed by women in this study:■

Lack of role models for minority female engineers■

Disillusionment regarding level of impact they would have as engineers■

Gender and racial biases and stereotypes experienced in the workplace■

Dissatisfaction with salary and benefits■

Unfair performance evaluations and lack of honest feedback■

Difficulty obtaining professional development through employers
3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Women in this study mentioned a variety of ways in which they try to address
obstacles, including:■

Increasing self-confidence■

Finding their voice at work■

Developing a support system that includes family and friends, university supports,
mentors, colleagues and coworkers, and professional engineering associations

Through the narratives shared by the women in this study, the researchers identified anumber of recommendations to help professional engineering associations better support
minority female engineers in the early stages of their career, including:■

Increase diversity in age and background within the organization, particularly
among leadership■

Determine ways to maintain relevance and better support women after a job relocation■

Better accommodate women’s busy schedules and dispersed locations to make it easier
for women to remain active members■

Diversify events and workshop topics so women see the benefit of continuing their membership■

Help women of color find the mentors they seek as they change employers, positions,and locations

4

INTRODUCTION

The need to diversify the engineering profession has been emphasized for decades, withefforts in place to increase the gender and racial diversity in colleges of engineering and in theengineering workforce. Even with the increased attention and resources, women of color still
comprise less than 2% of all engineering professionals[5]. Only 20% of all engineering bachelor’s
degree holders are women, and for women of color the statistics are even more dismal[4].
Less than 4% of engineering bachelor’s degrees are awarded to African American, Hispanic,
and Native American women combined, and for African American women that percentage
is declining[6,4]. Researchers have identified several factors that contribute to the dearth ofminorities and women in engineering, including stereotype threat, lack of role models, andfeelings of isolation[7]. However, little research specifically addresses the unique challenges
faced by women of color in engineering professions.
Stereotype threat may subconsciously discourage women of color from pursuing engineering
careers. When a demographic with associated negative stereotypes becomes salient,
individuals who fit that demographic will often experience poor performance due to thefear of confirming those stereotypes[8]. Thus, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Studies
have consistently shown this effect on minorities and women as it relates to academic andengineering performance[9,10,11]. If there is only one woman of color within a workplace, she maytire of her preoccupation with defying stereotypes and choose a different career[3].
Research suggests that women of color may encounter difficulty advancing in their careers
due to the lack of role models in engineering companies. Role models demonstrate thatsuccess is possible for individuals who look similar to them, and many provide direct
assistance to others by serving as mentors[12,13]. Of the 682 highest-level executives at five top
technology companies that employ thousands of engineers, only eight are African Americanor Hispanic women[14]. This is unsurprising, given the low numbers of women of color who
pursue engineering, and perpetuates the image of a CEO as an old, white man. Women
who do pursue engineering careers often experience difficulty advancing, meaning thatthe companies themselves have some responsibility for the lack of role models in upper
management. Being passed over for a promotion in favor of a white and/or male candidate
can certainly lead to attrition of women of color in engineering[3].
Women of color are subjected to overt discrimination in the workplace that is often more
severe than what their white female counterparts experience. In a recent study of womenin engineering, one African American woman shared her story of how she discovered that
she was receiving a lower salary than her male coworkers with similar job titles. Furthermore,
she found that a recently hired white female engineer at her company was earning morethan she, even though she had a master’s degree and many more years of work experience
than the neophyte[15]. Another study conducted by the Society of Women Engineers revealed
similar experiences of discrimination among minority female engineers[16]. These narratives are
unfortunately common among women of color in engineering.
Crenshaw[17] noted the importance of examining the connections between social constructs ofrace, class, and gender. This intersectionality of identities should be considered when focusing
on women of color in engineering. Many studies of inequality report on female engineerscompared to male engineers, or black engineers compared to white engineers. Such studies
assume that women of color are reflected in the experiences of the minority participants, but
in many cases the experiences of women of color become difficult to parse out[18].
5INTRODUCTION

Though some professional engineering associations (PEAs) have shifted their rhetoric toadopt an anti-deficit framework for research focused on minority female engineers, it is stilla work in progress. Organizations such as the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE),
the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers(SHPE) provide services and support to women of color that can help them succeed in theircareers[19]. However, it is still unclear whether women of color find these resources helpful andwhere gaps exist.
This study explores the external support systems that assist these women through the
beginning stages of their careers – specifically, the supports provided by universities,
colleagues, and professional associations – as well as the strategies that women of color
apply to overcome early career challenges. The primary purpose of this exploratory study
is to promote the narratives of early-career women of color in engineering and share theirinsights. We believe that by collecting and sharing the stories of women of color who havealready overcome early-career challenges, researchers can highlight tangible strategies for
aspiring minority female engineers to use.

6

METHODOLOGY

A qualitative research design was used to identify the challenges that women of color inengineering face early in their careers, as well as the strategies and supports used to overcome
these challenges. The findings presented in this paper are based on data obtained frominterviews of 31 eligible women of color.
To be eligible for this study, women must have graduated in or after May 2011 and have been
employed in the engineering workforce for at least one year after graduation. Additionally,
participants had to identify primarily as non-white. Participants were recruited throughpurposive sampling, using social media outlets available through NSBE and SWE. Oneon-one semi-structured interviews were conducted between October 2016 and June 2017,
an approach that allowed for clarification and follow-up questions. All participants signed
IRB-approved consent forms and were informed of the confidentiality and anonymity of thedata. Interviews ranged from 15 minutes to one hour in length.
Once the interviews were conducted, the audio files were transcribed and the data wereanalyzed through open and axial coding. Researchers analyzed each interview transcript bylooking for categories and emerging themes. Of particular interest were themes associatedwith the challenges encountered, the strategies applied, and the external supports thatwomen expressed having utilized in their job search and early career.

7

PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHICS

Thirty-three women were interviewed for this study, but two participants were ineligible
because their graduation date was outside the required range. The following table lists thedemographic information of the 31 women that are included in the analysis:

TABLE 1: PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHICS
COUNT
RACE

Asian/Pacific Islander

2Black or African American

18

Hispanic or Latina

8

Native American/Alaska Native2

Mixed Race

1

AGE (YEARS)
<254

4

25-29

22

30+

4

No Response

1

MARITAL STATUS
Married7

Single24

CHILDREN
Yes

3

No

27

No Response

1

Most of the women interviewed were African American, while 26% were Hispanic/Latina.
Women of Native American/Alaska Native origin and Asian/Pacific Islander were also
represented. One woman interviewed was of mixed race. There was no eligibility criterion
placed on age, but over 80% of those interviewed were under 30 years of age. Only three
women interviewed stated that they had children.

8PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHICS

As shown in Table 2, the diversity of engineering disciplines was apparent. The majorityof those interviewed had earned mechanical engineering degrees, and most participants
had between two to five years of work experience in engineering. Two participants
indicated a little less than two years of experience, and three had over five years ofexperience because they included employment during college.

TABLE 2: PARTICIPANT WORK EXPERIENCE
AREA OF SPECIALIZATION
Aerospace Engineering

3

Chemical Engineering

4

Civil Engineering

5Computer Science

1Electrical Engineering

3

Industrial Engineering

3

Manufacturing Engineering

1

Mechanical Engineering

9

Software Engineering

1

Systems Engineering

1

YEARS OF WORK EXPERIENCE< 2 years22-5 years

25

5+ years

4

9

RESULTS

CHALLENGES
Multiple challenges surfaced among the women in this study. Women came from a varietyof backgrounds and from different parts of the country but expressed similar struggles. The
challenges listed below are those that were mentioned by multiple women, indicating areasof concern that should be explored to determine ways to minimize their existence and/or impact.
“I remember when I told my dad I was doing mechanical engineering. He was like, ‘Are you
sure?’ He’s one as well.… As a black man, he’s like, ‘This is going to be hard. And you’re also awoman. Are you sure you’re ready for this?’ … And now that I’ve been at work for a couple years,
I know exactly what he meant.”– African American Engineer

LACK OF ROLE MODELSOne potential hindrance to our ability to diversify the engineering profession is the lackof confidence and encouragement from individuals who have great influence in young girls’
lives, including parents and mentors. Though most women in this study provided examples of
support received from family, friends, peers, and teachers along their engineering journey, somenoted having few role models to follow. For such students, external supports are critical toensuring that they have someone who can share their experiences, explain what it is reallylike to be an engineer, and encourage their interest and success in the profession.
“I’m a first-generation college kid. I emigrated here when I was 7 with my parents. My parents
never went to high school…. I never had anybody to say ‘you should be an engineer just likeyour parents are engineers’.”– Latina Engineer“Make sure you have your support structures to [help you] figure out how you can get to bebetter than you are.”– African American Engineer

FEELING DISILLUSIONED
Studies have found that women are particularly drawn to careers that they believe have social
impact, which may help explain the higher female representation in the life sciences versus
engineering and computer science[20,21]. Some women expressed disappointment that theirchosen path was not offering the level of impact that they sought, and one cited her almamater as a source of misinformation.
“When you go to engineering schools, they kind of tell you you’re going to have theopportunity to change the world and have [the] opportunity to make big changes inyour team and own your own code and do a lot of stuff. And when you go to a lot of thesecompanies, these companies are already kind of a rigid system. And you feel like a cog inthis big machine.”– Asian American Engineer“You really don’t make the difference that you think you’re going to make.”– African American Engineer

10RESULTSGENDER AND RACIAL STEREOTYPES AND BIASES
Numerous participants shared their experiences of realizing that they were a minority in theengineering workplace and the difficulty of fitting in. Some expressed feelings of isolation,
while others shared experiences with bias – both blatant and implicit. Studies have shown thesignificant impact that gender and racial biases have on women’s decisions to stay or leave aprofession[22]. For many engineers, relocation is a job requirement, taking women into areasof the country where people are less familiar with seeing a female engineer of color in theworkplace. In some cases, this leads to more instances of isolation, overt bias, and stereotyping.
“At work, I definitely deal with people assuming that I don’t know what I’m talking about or
I’m just some gentle, meek person because I’m a woman and not a man…. You lace that withthe fact that I am black, and I look different than probably most of the people that are here….
The fact that I have to speak about how I’m going to do my hair so I don’t get questions andso people don’t ask me why is your hair so different every day…. That’s something I actually
think about: How do I do my hair before I go to work because of the environment I’m in.”– African American Engineer“I was the only female and the only person of color who was an engineer in our entire
company…. The environment was a lot different in the South, especially in this particular plant.
They weren’t very accepting of having a woman of color coming in and telling them kind ofwhat needs to be done and how things should be done.”– African American Engineer

Interestingly, all African American women in this study referenced gendered racism, a hybrid
phenomenon in which the effects of racism and sexism are experienced simultaneously[23].
Although theorizing on why this may have been the case falls outside the scope of this study,
others have explored how gendered racism has particularly significant effects on African
American women[24].
A number of other women in the study referenced an uncomfortable work environment
primarily due to gender rather than race.
“When I arrived here, in the breakroom on the cupboards, there was a 1950- style little thing
on the wall. And it was a woman. And she said, ‘I don’t know what my job here is. I just drink
a lot of coffee.’”– Native American/Alaska Native Engineer“I think that there’s a lot of mentality – there hasn’t been a lot of women in my particular job
for a couple years. There are joking comments. I think people usually apologize…. I guess I
didn’t expect some of those mentality jokes to still be there.”– Latina Engineer

FEELING ISOLATED
Many women in the study mentioned that they had not really felt that they stood out as aminority female in engineering until they reached the workplace, but this was not universal.
Only African American women in this study discussed isolation in college, where they had
few peers who looked like them in their classes. Several African American women mentioned
encountering stereotypical racist assumptions in the workplace that brought attention to thefact that they were one of very few. Latina women noted feeling isolated because they had no11

RESULTS

one to speak Spanish with when they relocated for work. In this study, only African Americanand Latina women mentioned feelings of isolation in the workplace due to race and gender,
while women of Native American or Asian/Pacific Islander backgrounds mentioned feelingsof isolation less often.
“When I was in Baltimore, it was all white male. And that actually was something I was very
uncomfortable with because I was the only female in the room and sometimes the only
person of any type of minority status.”– Latina Engineer“I know I’m 1 percent of people that … look like me. I’ve known that through most of college.
I’ve always counted. So sometimes when I do feel insecure, it does bring up that you’re also
the only person of color or female in there.”– African American Engineer“… I really struggled to fit in with the team. It took … almost two and a half years [for them]to really take me seriously and start giving me assignments…. Yeah, it was just really difficult.
It’s not a really diverse company in any way.”– Latina Engineer“… I think my biggest challenge is that I feel isolated. I came in with a cohort of otherstudents right out of college. I didn’t connect with any of them…. I don’t feel connected toanyone here, not the community. It’s just a whole different culture shock for me.”– African American Engineer

NEGOTIATING SALARY AND BENEFITS
The gender pay gap that exists in the U.S. begins at the new hire stage, as many women
hesitate to negotiate their salary and benefits[25]. Only 35% of the women in this study
negotiated their salaries when they were first hired, and 26% negotiated their benefits package.
Almost half of those interviewed indicated that they wish that they had negotiated for morewhen they were first offered the job.
“When I first hired on, I received my offer… I asked if I could negotiate. They had told me that
it wasn’t really that flexible for negotiation.… When I got converted to full time, they said that
it wasn’t really a negotiable thing. I was like okay, I guess I won’t negotiate my pay. So I didn’t
really negotiate anything.”– Latina Engineer“No, I’ve never [negotiated]. I don’t know how to do that. I’m going to go with whatever
they say.”– African American Engineer

Though some women said that they were initially satisfied with their salary offers when they
took the job, a number of women stated that they learned later that they received less thanothers at their level.

12

RESULTS“Looking back, I would’ve definitely [negotiated] because now I realize … just from talking toother people who I work with that [coworkers who] don’t have a bachelor’s degree aremaking close to the same amount of money that I am. And I have a bachelor’s degree.”– African American Engineer“When I joined the team, I was hired in with two other new hires. And one … had interned …
for a similar team prior to joining. And a lot of the full timers told him to negotiate the salary.
And he ended up getting a signing bonus, whereas the two of us who had not interned
didn’t get anything additional.”– Asian American Engineer“… I wish that I’d known starting out that everybody else got offered a lot more money than
I did…. I just didn’t know how much I really should have negotiated for because I didn’t haveanybody else to compare numbers with.”– Latina Engineer

REQUESTING DESERVED BENEFITSAsking for benefits, including such things as professional development or a deserved
promotion, can be challenging. One participant stated that her requests for such benefits
were typically denied.
“When I do ask for some development … [I’m told], ‘We need to send more than one person to
do that. I think it’s more beneficial for two people to do that.’ But we’re spread so thin that we
can’t have time for that. And I understand that. There’s really no other options for me to try todevelop. It’s kind of difficult.”– Latina Engineer“Our headquarters wants you to have development….They tell you thatdevelopment’s very important. But they don’t really develop you, so I often findthat by myself.”– Latina Engineer

Some companies offer rotation programs, which a few participants indicated they were involvedin and found very valuable because they had the opportunity to learn new things and try out
different departments. For those women who worked for companies that offered professional
development, they expressed appreciation for the value that they believed their companies hadfor their employees.
“I guess when I was in school, I just thought I was going to be one of those people that weregoing to be in one central location all of my life for the rest of my life. And this company has
afforded me the opportunity to move around, try different things, rotate into different
positions. And I’ve loved every single minute of it.”– African American Engineer“What really surprised me is they really value their employees. They push you to continuelearning, tool, and re-skill ourselves.”– Latina Engineer

13

RESULTS

Overall, the women in this study expressed a variety of challenges related to being a woman
or being a minority in engineering. In some cases, it was unclear what the root causes of theissues were, as in the case of unclear performance evaluations or lack of honest feedback. The
African American and Latina women in this study were more likely than Native American or
Asian American women to share challenges linked to gender or racial biases.
UNFAIR PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS AND LACK OF HONEST FEEDBACK
For many women, particularly women of color, getting honest feedback and fair performance
evaluations can be a challenge. Of those interviewed, only 58% indicated feeling that theirperformance was evaluated fairly. Without honest feedback and guidance on how to improve,
career advancement can be difficult to achieve.
Some women interviewed stated that they were receiving mixed messages in regard to theirperformance. In many cases, the reason for being passed over for a promotion was unclear,because they had received a positive evaluation.
“My manager gave me the highest performance rating at the beginning of this year. I had
basically asked for a promotion because I got the highest rating. I should probably get a
promotion. And she said no but didn’t give me any constructive feedback as to how I can get
there or do anything like that. She said that I was on track from February all the way to August.
And in August, she said you’re not going to get it, for no reason. She said, ‘Well, your attitude
could be better.’”– Asian American Engineer“I feel I was treated fairly in my work evaluation. But the money did not correlate to that. So I
feel I wasn’t treated fairly…. If I was [rated] highly successful in what I did, then why is my raiseso low? I feel on merit they were aware of how much work and how well I did my work. But
they didn’t acknowledge it, because the money wasn’t there.”– African American Engineer

Most women who were dissatisfied with the feedback they were receiving mentioned that they
were seeking honest and constructive feedback but were getting little insight into how they
could improve.
“I’ve asked for the feedback. But sometimes – I guess when I ask for feedback and I set upthat feedback meeting, all I’ve gotten is, ‘Oh, you’re doing great’ sort of thing. And it
doesn’t help.”– Latina Engineer“I suppose the six-month [performance evaluation] was done, but no one went over itwith me.”– Native American/Alaska Native Engineer“… If you’re not telling me what I’m doing wrong or whatever, but you just say I’m doing fine,then it’s kind of hard for me to improve on whatever I need to be doing to help you out more
and be a better employee.”– African American Engineer

14

RESULTS

SUCCESS STRATEGIESThe women in this study employed a variety of strategies to overcome the challenges theyexperienced in their early career. Many of the women interviewed focused on strategies thatinvolved changes in the ways they interacted with colleagues or managers, particularly
strategies that involved increasing their self-confidence, finding their voice, and gaining
recognition for their work.
“I’m comfortable at this point to contribute in certain meetings; it does not scare me. But it
did take me a little bit. And I did get a little bit of pushback…. I don’t care anymore. I’m goingto say what I’m going to say. And you can like it or you can not.”– African American Engineer

INCREASING SELF-CONFIDENCE
In some cases, study participants worked on specific skills to help boost their self-confidence inthe workplace, including improving their public speaking. However, others felt that they had tochange certain aspects of their personalities to fit in.
“I completely changed my entire personality at work. It was horrible…. I had to learn how tointerrupt people…. I had to completely stop making jokes [because] they took me seriously.”– Latina Engineer“I’m trying to become a better speaker, so I’m involved in Toastmasters.”– African American Engineer“…When a girl says something, I hate it that they think the girl is complaining. No,
I’m not complaining. I am speaking my mind. And you should listen. It was tough. I cried thefirst three years working there. Then I learned to be stronger and build a thick skin…. I tell it forwhat it is.”– Latina Engineer

Being afraid to ask questions was one of the most common challenges that women indicatedthey needed to learn to overcome. They had to learn that asking for help did not mean thatthey were unfit for the job. Some stated that it was a work in progress.
“I think one of the biggest challenges I’ve had is kind of knowing when to ask questions. A
lot of the times I feel I’ve asked a question maybe five or 10 times. And the person I’m asking
is probably thinking I don’t know what I’m doing. But I think it’s more so I’m always double-checking myself…. Then there are times where I think this is the answer. But I don’t wantto say I think this is the answer. I want to make sure it is the answer. It’s kind of like, do I reallyknow this or do I not know this.”– Latina Engineer

One study participant shared that she had relocated from a big city to a rural town and how she
dealt with the initial feelings of isolation. She stated that she tries to understand her coworkers
and, rather than change her own personality traits, become more comfortable and confident insharing her opinions with people who think differently.

15

RESULTS“Everyone is literally super welcoming and very friendly. And if they say anything that has
racial or sexist undertones, it’s literally because they don’t know any better…. They don’t really
understand diversity. They probably don’t know that many black people. It’s just a different
mentality. And I just have to learn to understand where they’re coming from…. I feel like I canvoice my opinions. I can be myself. It wasn’t always like that. I had to get over my own fears.”– African American Engineer

FINDING THEIR VOICE
Study participants shared examples of being overlooked or ignored in the workplace. Sometimes this would occur during a meeting, while others felt that they needed to make more of aneffort to develop stronger communications with their managers to ensure that their needs andideas were being heard.
“Things that I’ve been trying to do are set up one-on-ones with my team lead, not just my
manager, to make sure that at least she can hear me out on a lot of things.”– Asian American Engineer“One time I was working with another young engineer. Neither of us knew anything about
the program, and both of us needed some extra work…. When we went into the meeting, I
was never addressed, especially by name. We were sitting next to each other, and neither ofus spoke. I mean, we both knew people in the room. But they would continuously address
him and say he can be working on this; he can do that…. I think, looking back on it, I should’ve
maybe spoken up a little more and been like, well, okay, he’s doing that part. What should I be
focusing on? And I think now that I’m slightly older – it’s been over a year since that and I havestarted speaking up at meetings more. I make a point the first time even just making ajoke – just speaking to make my presence known…. I’m easier to ignore than him, is what
it felt like.”– Latina Engineer

DEVELOPING A SUPPORT SYSTEM
The women in this study, particularly those who relocated and found themselves working inhighly white, male-dominated areas, shared how they worked to find people who could help
them feel less isolated.
“I try to be friendly to everyone because you don’t want to have people thinking one way
typically about you because you are a woman of color…. So I try to treat everyone the same.
I try to be at least cordial and happy and bubbly and make friends where I can. I try to connect
with the other people of color in my organization just to build that connection, have them tolean on if I am feeling kind of weird about a situation – especially if they’re higher up than me.”– African American Engineer“I have a mentor in my plant. We had a plant mentor program, which I signed up for.”– African American Engineer

Women in this study indicated a number of strategies that they utilize to help them cope withchallenges they encounter in their engineering careers. Though some explained the changes
that they felt they needed to make to ensure their success, including developing stronger
communication skills and gaining more self-confidence in their own abilities, there were others
who explained the importance of external supports in helping them achieve their career goals.
16

RESULTSSUPPORT SYSTEMS
Study participants mentioned certain external supports that they relied upon to assist themduring their job search and into the first years of their engineering career. The women in this study
that were most successful in their career pursuits were those who indicated that they had a strong
support system in place. Some were fortunate to have support from a variety of sources, whilemost indicated receiving guidance, coaching, or mentoring from one or two different sources.
“People are very open to my questions. If I don’t know how to do something,
they come and help me.”– African American Engineer

FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS
A few study participants stated that they had family members who were engineers or worked
in technical fields. They sought out advice from these individuals as they made their way
through their engineering degree programs and into the workforce. However, for the most part,the advice sought typically related to finding a job or dealing with career-related issues rather
than addressing challenges encountered on the job.
“My dad does consulting. He started out as an engineer. So I do talk to him quite a bit whenit comes to my career-oriented things.”– Asian American Engineer“My sister is an engineer and kind of gave me some guidance. My father works with computers.
His father before him worked with computers. That’s kind of what geared that side.”– Latina Engineer“My father is kind of a mentor because he’s also a mechanical engineer. He’s been working
for about 40 years in the oil industry. So I definitely leaned on him a lot….’”– African American Engineer

Some women mentioned the help that they received from friends, particularly when it
came time to find a job. Having a strong peer network in college, especially for those women
who maintained connections after graduation, was extremely beneficial to many of those in
the study.
“One of the students who had graduated from my electrical engineering program … hadposted something on a Facebook group. And he said that they were looking for engineers to
submit our resumes. I submitted my resume to him. And then I got a call from [his employer].”– Latina Engineer“I came across this particular position by reaching out to a friend at the other company I
was working for, but she was leaving…. She was like, ‘Keep in touch. As soon as I hearanything about an opening, I’ll let you know.’ And that’s essentially what happened. I just
kept following up with her over the next few months. And luckily an opportunity came,and I applied and was hired.”– African American Engineer

17

RESULTS

UNIVERSITY SUPPORTS
When asked about the type of support received from their universities, over half of thoseinterviewed mentioned the university career centers. They noted that the centers were a key
factor in getting exposure to hiring companies and preparing for professional interviews. Many
mentioned the career fairs that occurred, and though only a handful mentioned having gotten
their first job through connections made at a career fair, the majority felt that the events werevery helpful – particularly for those with little prior work experience. Other women mentioned
the relationship with alumni in helping to prepare them for their job search.
“My university had an amazing career center where you got resume support. And before you
could post it to our online system for companies to look at, they had to approve it and review
it. And you have to edit it. That was really helpful. And it also sponsored on-campus interviews.
We had a great location where the companies could come. We were just on campus, so you
didn’t have to travel. That was really helpful. We definitely had a career fair every semester ofthe fall and spring.”– African American Engineer“[Alumni members] have been very actively helping us. They look at your resume
for you, [conduct] mock interviews.”– Asian American Engineer

There were a few who indicated that academic preparation and hands-on experiences during
school were factors that helped them obtain their first engineering position after graduation.
“I [had] a lot of leadership roles back in college. And I know it’s not like the exact same thingat the workplace. But it gives you almost a basic set of skills to just be able to develop into
those roles.”– Latina Engineer“So college for me, particularly the engineering school, was the first time that I had to grapple
with failure. And having that kind of safe space to fail and not having too many repercussions
was definitely a blessing, I would say. Engineering really taught me how to be kind of scrappy.
It was an identity crisis. But I came out of it looking at myself not as a straight-A student…. I
came out of it thinking I can actually be a leader.”– Asian American Engineer

A few participants indicated that they had worked as interns or during college for certain
companies. They reflected on the importance of the support that they had received from theircoworkers during that period, as well as the value of having that work experience when it cametime to look for a job after graduation.
MENTORS
There were some women in this study who were very proactive in seeking mentors. African
American women in particular were more likely to mention the positive impact that mentoring
relationships have had on their career. Few women interviewed mentioned having mentors
who were women of color, though a couple of participants actively sought out women of color
within their companies. However, the gender or race of the mentor was not a factor when therelationship was a positive one.

18

RESULTS“I’ve actually been pretty lucky to have good mentors throughout almost mywhole career.”– Native American Engineer“I think I have a lot of career guidance with my manager and some mentors I found at work.
People support what I want to do and help me find the steps to do that.”– Latina Engineer“I have another mentor who is also assigned to a companywide program…. And we talk all
the time…. And we are as opposite as can be. She’s not black – but definitely very different
backgrounds and upbringings. And we talk about all things: gender, race, you name it.”– African American Engineer

COLLEAGUES AND COWORKERS
A number of participants stated that the support they received from their colleagues
helped them be more comfortable in their workplace and cope with difficult situations
that sometimes arose.
“They were always saying ‘Just forget what everybody says. You’re doing the right thing. Just
keep on doing it.’ I think there was a positive coworker relationship and getting good positive
feedback from them was really helpful.”– Asian American Engineer“Mostly my coworkers and peers – people that I work with who most of the time vouch for me
or attest for me. They’re like your sponsors. They’re not your mentor
but people that can advocate for you and your work.”– African American Engineer

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING ASSOCIATIONS
Ninety-four percent of participants were involved with professional engineering associations
during college. Many of those interviewed indicated that they valued the support offered by
the organizations in college and during their job search, including networking, conferences,and scholarships.
“I would say because I was part of SWE and went to a lot of the SWE conferences,
I was better prepared for my job search.”– Asian American Engineer“I was part of the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers. My support camefrom them. My parents didn’t go to school, so they didn’t have a lot of help for me.”
– Latina Engineer“I like the conferences NSBE held…. They give you an introduction. They give you a one-onone of what this company does. It did help a lot with the job search and where I saw myself
working. It helped a lot.”– African American Engineer

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RESULTS“[The International Society of Automation] gave me a lot of scholarships that you can’t say noto when you’re a poor college student. They gave me a lot of scholarships. They also had a lotof mentors that would help me with my projects. But they’re family now.”– Latina Engineer

Some participants indicated that their connection to a particular PEA was primarily
because they identified with other members. They sought individuals of similar race orgender in engineering.
“I’m grateful to SWE because I was able to meet other women who also had the sameaspirations, especially the conference for the career fair.”– Latina Engineer“I think my first conference was in college … and I think it was helpful for me to kind of meetthe other girls who were also studying the same thing, because [in] most of my classes, it was
maybe just me and maybe one other girl – just [to] have a group of other women who are
studying the same thing is good to see.”– Latina Engineer“I could relate to people in NSBE because they were people of color. When I say people ofcolor, I mean they came from the same culture and background as I did.”– African American Engineer“… NSBE’s just a way to see professional black people doing things so I know I stay connected
and know that I was on the path that I needed to be on…. I had this group of people to go to
and ask those questions because I didn’t have anybody at work that I trusted enough to giveme an honest answer about those things.”– African American Engineer

Only two study participants indicated that they were not currently members of at least one
professional association. One was a woman who left engineering to explore her artistic
interests. The other indicated dissatisfaction with the job search assistance that the PEA
she belonged to in college had provided.
Generally, those who were current members of a PEA had been members of that PEA in college,
with some maintaining multiple PEA memberships. There were a few women interviewed who
indicated that they did not feel that they utilized their PEA’s offerings totheir fullest extent, particularly for mentoring or professional development.
However, for those who found themselves relocating for employment, professional
associations offered networking opportunities and camaraderie that helped them feelless isolated in their new place.
“I think SHPE and SWE have the biggest influence on me – a way to network and connect
with people. When I moved up here, the first thing I did was seek out my SWE section andthen my SHPE section to figure out ‘Where am I?”– Latina Engineer

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RESULTS“I definitely use [the NSBE conference] as a network opportunity, and I use it for professional
development…. I got a lot of great ideas and tips on how to better myself professionally. I use
it in that effect, and then I use it for networking and volunteering to give back to collegiate
students in my similar situation.”– African American Engineer“It’s nice because if I go to a new location, I’m like, ‘I’m part of SWE.’ ‘Oh, me, too. Have you
seen this? Or have you heard of a conference?’ It let me reconnect with other people at myprevious positions, so that was nice.”– Latina Engineer

Support networks were an important factor in the career success of women in this study,
particularly in helping them overcome certain challenges that many women encounter in theworkplace. Those who indicated difficulties in either finding employment or having satisfactionin their current jobs appeared to have less access to (or less utilization of) support networks.

ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONSIn qualitative research, observations may be presented that were not initially part of the study’s
research questions if there is sufficient evidence to justify their inclusion. The study revealed two
observations of interest among the women interviewed. First, most of the women interviewed
were either pursuing graduate degrees or were interested in going back to school to obtainan advanced degree. Second, many offered suggestions or advice for future women of color
engineers to help better prepare them for their first years as employed engineers.
ASPIRATIONS
Among the 31 women interviewed, nine had master’s degrees or were pursuing advanced
degrees. Most advanced degree programs were in or related to engineering. Of the remaining
22 women, 16 expressed interest in returning to school at some point. Some mentioned
specific degrees – master’s, doctoral, MBA – whereas others did not elaborate. Many linked theirpotential degrees to advancement within their company or industry; however, the sources ofthese ideas about necessary credentials for career advancement were not clear.
“I’m in a technical engineering position right now. And I like it. But I also want to move up in
the company, possibly be a manager or a program project manager, something along thoselines. And I believe that having the business knowledge of knowing how a company is run
and how to run projects would be super beneficial.”– African American Engineer“It wouldn’t make a difference. Actually, I’ve done research. It wouldn’t make any differencewith my pay. It’s just for me for knowledge and a way for me to excel in my professional
career. I want to be a subject matter expert because then people listen more to you.”– Latina Engineer“In addition to that, I’m definitely looking at grad school and the possibility of getting an MBA
just because I don’t know if staying with an engineer baseline job is going to do me any goodmoving forward or it’s just going to be more heartache, honestly.”– Asian American Engineer

21

RESULTS

Only six women indicated current interest in finding new employment – with one woman
actively seeking a job because she was unemployed at the time of the interview. Only one
woman in this study had left engineering and was working as a self-employed artist. Out of 31
women in this study, only one indicated any regrets in pursuing an engineering career – and it
was not the artist, who stated that she still applied her engineering skills to her everyday work.
ADVICE FOR FUTURE MINORITY FEMALE ENGINEERS
During the interview, study participants often shared suggestions for future minority female
engineering graduates to help them avoid some of the challenges that they had experienced
in their early career. In looking back upon their own experiences, the women interviewed wereable to reflect upon what worked for them, as well as what they wished they had done tobetter prepare themselves for the engineering workplace. While much of the advice centeredon self-confidence, there were a number of women who stressed the importance of gaining
work experience and networking while in college.
“… Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. But at the same time, rejection is a natural part ofthe process. And don’t take it too personally.”– Asian American Engineer“[Do not] doubt your abilities and your knowledge…. I think the most important thing is you
will have people that are going to … treat you differently, whether it’s because you’re youngor whether it’s because of something else. You can’t let that interfere with what you’re trying
to achieve.”– Latina Engineer“… Make sure you get some internship experiences and don’t just focus on going to school.”– African American Engineer“Make sure that you negotiate and know what you’re worth and do your research.”– Native American Engineer“Find the diversity societies and get active in them…. Even though I was one of two [women]in most of my classes in college, once a month there was a room of female engineers that
understood exactly how much I disliked statics.”– African American Engineer“Your wardrobe matters…. [When] I do my hair, [when] I wear really nice professional clothing,people listen to you more…. That’s the reality.”– Latina Engineer“Make sure that all your ideas are heard, and be open to criticism and feedback.
Be able to step outside your comfort zone.”– African American Engineer

The suggestions offered by the women interviewed present valuable guidance for future
female engineers of color. They also provide insight into ways in which professional engineering
associations can better support female minority engineers in the early years of their career.

22

RESULTSRECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROFESSIONALENGINEERING ASSOCIATIONS
One of the purposes of conducting this study was to understand how PEAs can bettersupport women in the early stages of their career. While responses to various interview
questions did provide some insight, women in the study were also directly asked about the
supports provided by PEAs during the job search and early career phases, and whether or
not the PEA support received was or is adequate. The following recommendations are basedon the feedback received.
INCREASE DIVERSITY WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION
Some of the women of Asian and Latina descent expressed concern over a lack of diversity
within PEAs, particularly around age and background. Interestingly, this was not a concern
voiced by African American women in this study.
“I do think that having a diverse perspective would be really great…. I’d like to see more of anage diversity…. I don’t really know how to encourage that.”– Asian American Engineer“Sometimes when I listen to people talk, [they] had support already in the system…. But
what happens if you didn’t have that background?”– Latina Engineer“I think they could do better in diversifying [the organization’s future leaders program]because those are supposed to be the future leaders of our institution, which should reflect
what we want the organization to look like.”– Asian American Engineer

Addressing why diversity was not a concern of the African American participants goesbeyond the scope of this study; however, it should be noted that most African American
women interviewed were NSBE members, and the vast majority of NSBE leaders are also
African American.
MAINTAIN RELEVANCE AFTER JOB RELOCATION
Another concern expressed was the difficulty in finding a professional chapter to join after a
job relocation, or simply difficulty obtaining guidance when approaching a job change. In somecases, location was an issue, while others mentioned the low level of activity within their local
chapters. For PEAs to maintain connections with women of color after college, they must findways to continue to be of benefit to women regardless of where they live.
“[I dropped my PEA membership after] I visited a local chapter in my area…. They werereally lowly populated, and they didn’t have a lot of events. It kind of just faded out of
my mind, really.”– African American Engineer“Another thing is not everyone has a SWE section. The SWE Minnesota section is the entire
state. And most of their events are in the Twin Cities, which is an hour and a half for me todrive. So I’m not really involved [in] what they’re doing.”– Asian American Engineer

23

RESULTS

BETTER ACCOMMODATE WORK/LIFE BALANCE
For some, juggling family, school, and work responsibilities makes it extremely difficult to stay
active in PEAs. Women can take on multiple roles after college – wife, mother, graduate student– and finding time to be involved in a PEA becomes much more of a challenge. PEAs must finda way to help women stay connected during early career, even as schedules become a challenge.
“I definitely want to get more involved with SWE. But their events are somewhere in
downtown LA. And with a six-month-old, I can’t really go out anywhere anymore.”– Latina Engineer“I’m supposed to be a member of SWE, but I don’t actually go to any meetings. I’m
supposed to be member of ASCE, but I don’t actually go to any meetings…. I’m trying to workand finish school at the same time and balance school life. If I were to take one off my plateand switch it for one of these professional organizations, I think they could be really very
beneficial. I could see the benefits of networking.”– Native American Engineer“It’s just, how do you balance being a professional and being part of an organization andhaving a life? If you [can] juggle the 60-hour workweek with anything extra – maybe that
could be addressed a little bit more.”– African American Engineer

DIVERSIFY EVENTS AND WORKSHOP TOPICS
Some women indicated that they want to be more active, but the events that take place
were not ones that attracted them to participate. Some saw PEA events as an opportunity to
network, while others stated a preference for more technical or career-focused workshops, suchas dealing with a hostile work environment, attention to entrepreneurial and consulting roles,
understanding certifications, and salary negotiation.
“It’s a really tough sell to be like, go to another happy hour.”– Latina Engineer“Maybe more ways to get more technical education or ones that fit more with where I want to
go in the field… When we were trying to find things that were related for us to do, most of thetimes the things that we did were more social.”– African American Engineer“Workshops on the section level would be great. I find that a lot of times at the meetings –and I honestly haven’t been to many this year, they’re not close to my area – it’s a lot oftalking…. I think an actual workshop would be great.”– Latina Engineer

Many participants indicated that the job search services, particularly career fairs, were importantin helping them get their first job. However, some women noted that the PEA career fairs were
not as useful to women with work experience.
“I wish I had a little more coaching on how to approach this career fair. I knew it would be a
lot of college hires and interns. But I didn’t know it would be pretty much all some of thesecompanies were looking for.”– African American Engineer

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RESULTSIMPROVED MENTORING
Finally, several women interviewed – particularly African American women – voiced a strong
desire for mentors. Some mentioned specific characteristics that they sought in a mentor, whileothers stated that they needed help with knowing how to find and approach potential mentors.
“I would like a woman technical leader to be a mentor because I’ve got different things I
want to do. I don’t know if I want to stay technical. But I want to talk to somebody who’s
been down the road I’m traveling…. I’m just trying to figure out where I can get that.”– African American Engineer“But I think that would be before I’m looking for mentors outside of my company. Thatwould be a great way to kind of help facilitate that. It’s always awkward to see somebody
and say do I just walk up to them and say, ‘Hey, can you be my mentor?’ It’s not like astructured relationship. How does that work?”– African American Engineer

The women who participated in this study clearly valued their PEAs. However, they discussed
several common areas for improvement, including increased diversity in leadership, betteraccommodation of work/life balance, and more support after a relocation. Engineeringorganizations may increase their relevance for early-career women of color by heeding theserecommendations and providing more platforms for members to share honest feedback.

25

CONCLUSION

The primary purpose of this study was to promote the narratives of early-career women of color
in engineering to help gain an understanding of the challenges they encounter, the strategies
they use to address those challenges, and the external supports that they rely on, particularly
those supports offered by professional engineering associations. Some women expresseddisappointment in the low level of impact they believed they could have as an engineer,
indicating that they wished that they had known this in college. Other women were unprepared
for the biases they encountered in their male-dominated workplace. It was in these instancesthat many women indicated a need to develop their own voice and be less hesitant to express
their views, so that their experience and expertise could be recognized among their colleagues
and managers.
Through their own words, the experiences of early-career women of color in engineering provide
a more nuanced look at the influence of race and gender in the engineering workplace. Whilemost women in this study seemed satisfied with the supports offered during their job search,some indicated that they relied more on their own networking skills to find a job rather than the
supports offered by their university or their professional associations. There were a few women
who expressed difficulties in finding employment, seeming to lack access to strong supports andfeeling isolated and alone in their struggles. Most women interviewed had attended job fairs,
either through their university or through their professional associations, but some mentionedthat PEA job fairs were less helpful now that they were experienced engineers. Those women who
received multiple job offers appeared to have greater skill in developing the networks to help putthem in contact with employers.
What was most lacking among the women in this study was the knowledge of how and when tonegotiate their first job offers, and a number of women indicated that they felt this placed thembehind many of their male colleagues in similar positions. Given the gender pay gap that exists,
it is crucial that women of color are made aware of their worth and given the tools to advocate
for better starting packages and career advancement. On a positive note, almost every woman
interviewed expressed no regrets about her decision to pursue a career in engineering.
Regarding recommendations for PEAs to better support minority female engineers in their early
career, the findings from this study indicate some room for improvement.
■

Increase Diversity within the Organization: While many women belonged to at least one
diversity-serving PEA, some noted that diversity in age and background – particularly inleadership positions – would be welcome.

■Maintain Relevance After Job Relocation: A number of women in the study expressed
difficulties associated with maintaining membership after a job move. To ensure that members
stay connected, PEA chapters may consider targeted communication toward women who
have relocated.

■

Better Accommodate Work/Life Balance: Many women take on multiple responsibilities aftercollege graduation. Staying active within a PEA becomes more difficult as their responsibilities
grow. Access to events that accommodate women’s busy schedules and dispersed locations is
critical to encouraging their continued involvement in PEAs. Additionally, normalizing
dialogues around work/life balance as conference sessions or networking event topics mayhelp more women of color feel heard and supported.

26

CONCLUSION■

Diversify Events and Workshop Topics: Some women shared their suggestions on possible
topics and events that they felt might keep them involved in a PEA.

■

Improved Mentoring Programs: Many women, particularly African American women,
expressed a strong desire for a mentor, but difficulty in finding one.

It should be noted that the women in this study were primarily affiliated with SWE and NSBE,
though some indicated membership with other PEAs. Therefore, any recommendations offered
are not specific to one organization. Rather, the recommendations are presented broadly andshould be considered by any diversity-serving PEA that desires to better support minority female
engineers. By increasing the supports offered, PEAs can help reduce the attrition of women ofcolor from the profession.

27

FUTURE RESEARCHThis study was prompted by the fact that there are so few women of color in engineering. We
believe that providing better supports in early career can help with the retention of women ofcolor in the profession. While the findings from this exploratory research do provide some insight
into how PEAs can better support women of color in their early career, they present opportunities
for further research.
We discovered that many women in this study were either pursuing graduate degrees or wereinterested in furthering their education. Is this prompted by job expectations, or do they see
additional education as a better way to advance in their career? Do men in engineering also
report desiring to pursue advanced degrees for career purposes? How critical to careeradvancement is an additional degree in engineering? Future studies may examine theeducational attainment of upper management in engineering firms.
Another area that may warrant further research is around work/life balance. How do women ofcolor maintain their career progression while balancing family and school responsibilities? What
expectations exist that may hinder their career advancement, and how do they compare with
their male counterparts?
A third area of interest is around salary and benefit negotiations. It is unclear why the womenin this study were less prepared for such negotiations. Is this an issue with female engineers ingeneral, or is this a particular issue among women of color? This seemed to be an issue across allraces included in this study.
Overall, the women in this study expressed a general satisfaction with their choice to pursue
engineering. The challenge we face is understanding how PEAs can help to keep them involved
and engaged so they do not choose to leave the profession. As one woman who left engineering
stated, “I’m happy that I got an engineering degree for a number of reasons – mostly because it
opened more doors to me.”An engineering degree is valuable within and outside of the engineering field. We have to makesure that women of color in engineering see the value of staying in the profession after receiving
their degrees, and understanding their needs is the only way to ensure that PEAs, universities,
and employers are equipped to meet those needs.

28

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